It is a strange coincidence that a month before we are going to Imperial China for a work do involving the odd combination of a club called the Curry Club, Chinese and Karaoke my brother and I decided to drop in to Imperial China for a bit of yum-cha.

The first thing that strikes you about Imperial China is its looks – its all very glammed up with its pretty entryway with fish pong and a classic chinese bridge, the giant glass windows on the ground floor, the intimate lighting, the dark colours and the waiters and waitresses dressed to the nines. We were hoping that the food would live up to first impressions.

Yum-cha at Imperial China is ordered as it is in many restaurants these days by marking your selection on a slip of paper. Interestingly, unlike other restaurants, there were a number of options which were “Not Recommended” …. interesting. I’m sure there is something lost in translation there and the fact that our choices just happened not to include any such dishes is mere happenstance!

The yum-cha offerings at Imperial China are fairly stock standard but did contain a few distinguishing dishes such as dumplings shaped like rabbits, goldfish or butterflies and fish belly rolls. From a taste perspective the dishes we had weren’t extraordinary so were not the best I’ve ever tasted nor were they the worst. Prices were fairly average for what you got.

Overall I think Imperial China was a pleasant, if ordinary, experience. It will be interesting to see how this experience will contrast with that of our work do in a month’s time.